Ski locking device

Abstract

A portable ski locking device which secures a pair of skis or skis and poles together in a crossed-tip configuration. The ski-lock comprises a pad-lock type body with a securing mechanism and U-shaped rod similar to a common bicycle lock. The U-shaped rod has a tongue member attached with a circular eyelet. This ski-locking device secures a pair of skis or skis and poles together to thwart would be thieves by presenting an unwieldy and awkward combination.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A ski-locking device for use with a pair of crossed-over skis with their upper surfaces and the upcurved portions of their forward ends facing each other, the crossover being near the upcurved forward ends and well forward of the ski bindings, comprising a padlock-type of body with a securing mechanism and a pair of shackle-receiving openings therethrough having ratchet engaging members,   a shackle comprising an elongated U-shaped rod with a U-bowl at one end and a series of locking ratchets near the other end of each of two elongated rod portions, which pass through said openings for securement by said securing mechanism and body, and   a tongue member with an eye at one end encircling said rod at said U-bowl to enable swinging movement with respect to said rod and a U-shaped hook at a distal end, and a short bar secured rigidly to the tongue member near where said hook begins,   whereby with the skis crossed over, the body engages at least one side of said ski close to one of the two vertices transverse to the crossover, and the U-bowl engages the distal side of the other said ski near the opposite vertex, the U-shaped hook engages the near side of that same said other ski at the vertex between the skis, and the bar engages the other ski, with the two shackle rod portions in contact with both skis along their normally bottom surface,   so that the skis can neither be slid along nor rotated to a position where either can be removed from the lock, due partly to the orientations of their upturned end portions and to their thickening toward their bindings, and partly to the distance apart of the shackle rods and their length from the U-bowl to the body and to the length of the tongue member.   
     
     
       2. The ski locking device of claim 1 wherein said shackle can accomodate both a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles. 
     
     
       3. The ski-locking device of claim 2, wherein said shackle is too narrow for the skis and poles to be slipped apart and removed from the device, while being wide enough to enable their easy installation. 
     
     
       4. The ski-locking device of claim 1 wherein said shackle is wide enough to enable easy installation about a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles, but is too narrow for the skis or poles to be removed from the locked device. 
     
     
       5. The ski locking device of claim 1 wherein said shackle and tongue member are mostly covered with a yielding elastomeric material. 
     
     
       6. The ski locking device of claim 1 wherein said shackle has two lateral bulges to accomodate a pair of ski poles. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1 wherein the shackle has one rod portion provided with an offset portion, so that the space between the two rod portions near the U-bowl is wide enough to accommodate a pair of ski poles between the offset rod portion and the skis. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 1 wherein one rod portion of the shackle is provided with an inwardly projecting portion for snugly engaging one said ski. 
     
     
       9. A method for locking together a pair of skis having upper surfaces with upcurved front end portions and bindings to the rear thereof, comprising crossing over the skis near their front ends with the front ends and the upper surfaces facing each other,   placing a padlock-type of body having a securing mechanism and a pair of shackle-receiving openings therethrough, to engage one side of one said ski near one of the two vertices transverse to the crossover,   placing a shackle comprising an elongated U-shaped rod with a U-bowl at one end a series of locking ratchets at the other end of each of two elongated rod portions so that said U-bowl engages the distal side of the other said ski near the opposite vertex,   placing a tongue member with an eye at one end encircling said rod at said U-bowl for swinging movement with respect to said rod and a U-shaped hook at the other end, so that the U-shaped hook engages the near side of that same said other ski at the vertex between the skis,   inserting the two rod portions through the body openings and bringing the U-bowl as close to the body as possible, and   locking said securing mechanism.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein the shackle has at least one portion, on one rod portion, near said U-bowl, that is spaced apart from the other rod portion further than the remainder of the former-named rod portion, enabling inserting a pair of ski poles between that rod portion and one of the skis during said step of placing the shackle.